Muscle Strain

Muscle strains can happen to both sedentary office workers and athletes alike. In fact, desk workers who exercise only occasionally or who have sporadic physical exertion are more prone to muscle strains than those who constantly utilize their muscles. Poor sitting posture or repetitive motion at the computer can result in back pain or tendonitis that restricts movement and activity, further exacerbating the problem.

Episodes of heavy lifting and awkward movement can strain the muscles of the back, legs, shoulders and arms. Very severe cases can stretch or compress nerves, causing referred pain. Muscle strains can be easily diagnosed by physicians, using questions about the nature of pain and tests for the extent of the patient's range of motion. For instance, bursitis is easily identified by the locus of pain, which is just below the shoulder on the fleshy point of the arm.

Treat Muscle Strains Comprehensively to Alleviate Pain

The basic treatment for strained muscles involves:

1. Immobilizing the area with a sling or other device until the acute pain subsides. Then, the muscle should be gradually used to restore its function.
2. Using hot/cold therapy to ease inflammation from the strain. Alternating moist heat with ice gel packs placed on the painful area serves this purpose.
3. Taking nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as aspirin, ibuprofen or acetaminophen according to package directions.

For extreme pain, doctors may increase drug dosages or prescribe narcotic painkillers. If pain persists for more than two weeks, there may be another underlying source, such as spinal or neurological damage. The doctors at the Bonati Institute are skilled in thorough diagnosis and treatment of all pain-related conditions and complications.